THE STRET WATCHER
Special Brownsville Report
By the all seeing EYE
A group of adventurers had reached the arboretum where Lady Alexandria was killed. The Seneschal Jeeves told the party that he would leave them to their investigation and at that time a great gong sounded from somewhere else in the villa. "I'm being summoned" said Jeeves and before the party could inquire further Jeeves hurried off down the hall.
Jeeves had forgotten to unlock the door for the guests. It was a simple lock, with a quick twist of his wrist, Fox had the double doors swinging wide open. He then tucked a shiny tool back into the depths of his robes.
Beyond the doors was a wondrous sight. The chamber was constructed almost totally of glass in the shape of a hemisphere. Inside the hemisphere were all manner of exotic flora. There was a low planter that surrounded the perimeter of the globe and a large planter in the shape of a cross occupying the center. Pas the Ranger immediately fell to examining the semi-rare rose bush directly to the left of the entrance while the other two rogue types set to checking the room for traps or other dangers. Groth ducked into the room and stood immediately inside the entrance with his huge axe cradled in his crossed arms as if his mere presence would ward his new friends from any unseen dangers. "Let me know when it's safe," Blossom deadpanned into the cavernous space. "I'll keep watch from out here with Blossom," reported Nera in a nervous purr.
The four members moved cautiously around the chamber eyeing everything for potential trouble. Fox's gaze followed Arin's to the top of the dome and to a shattered pane at the top of the hemisphere. He stuck his hand out and felt the chill drizzle falling through the opening. Arin's gaze continued along the ribs of the ceiling's support beams. He had spotted a vine, a rather large....muscular vine, camouflaged along the beams emanating from the center of the large cross shaped planter. He followed the length of the vine until his eyes settled on it's terminus. The vine ended in what appeared to be a distorted copy of a humanoid hand that was palming a huge boulder directly over the entrance to the chamber. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as he realized the implications. Never one to exude confidence, especially around Blossom, he called to her. "Uh...Blossom? You might wanna check this out...". "What is it?" Blossom asked. As soon as her mouth opened she had her answer.
The hand-like vine released the boulder, it fell with a crash to the floor blocking the entrance, and effectively split the party into two. "Oh Shit!" mouthed Pas as he turned to survey the situation. A large tree sprouted from the center of the cross shaped planter, it rose high and unfolded in all directions. Pas identified the plant immediately. He reported it to the rest of the group as if reading it from a book. "Tendriculous" he said, for once deadpanning his description as if doing his best impression of Blossom. "Huge to colossal plant with a voracious appetite for flesh, any flesh, and as much as it can get. Always hungry. When found in it's native habitat you will find no other animals, plants or other form of intelligent fauna that will go within 500 feet of where it was last known to be. They will avoid the area for at least 24 hours even after it has moved on. This looks to be a small specimen." As Pas said the words the creature fully unfolded with it's head brushing the ceiling some 20 feet above. It was immediately apparent to everyone that this was a trap. A hungry, living, trap.
On the other side of the boulder Blossom and Nera were frustrated and panicked respectively. "Damn...can't see what's going on Nera. We'll have to find another way around" commented Blossom. She recalled that they had passed many doors in this hallway on their way to the arboretum. "Nera, you take the left and I'll....," Blossom stopped mid-sentence. As she turned to point out the doors to which she was referring, she spotted a hulking, armored shape step into view at the end of the hallway some 90 feet away. "So...you've found me," chuckled the Blackguard said with a smile. "Let us talk young one," he said, and then the smile disappeared from his face. He began to stride down the hallway with a long, confident gait, his armored boots striking the expensive marble flooring with resounding metallic notes. Nera growled fiercely as memories swirled through her feline head; Lady Alexandria had two important visitors to her home: a Count Drusk and a Lady Angelique. The investigation had only just begun and they had not had a chance to interview the two guests but Nera could now easily deduce who they were. She knew the other, a treacherous assassin, was sure to be close by. She scanned the dim hallway between the approaching Blackguard and their own position. There, movement! A shadowy shape flitted between the murky pools of inky darkness trailing a fluttering cloak of tattered oblivion. "Like a wraith" she thought. Blossom did not have the enhanced vision that the Catfolk did so Nera alerted her. "Quick, into the rooms. We are not alone with the Blackguard!" They both flung open separate doors on their side of the hall and darted in. Blossom immediately realized her mistake when she saw that the wall opposite the door was blank. "Too late now", she thought, then turned and locked the door. She surveyed the room for heavy furniture for which she could block the door in preparation of a siege. Meanwhile, on the other side of the hallway, Nera was having a bit of luck. She quickly spied a set of drapes, hustled toward them, slamming the door behind her. In her rush she didn't think to lock the door. As she crossed the room, the only thought was getting to the rest of her friends. She yanked the curtains down with a feral snarl, revealing the estate grounds beyond. She looked about and spotted an expensive looking chair which she hurled through the window with a resounding crash and then leaped through the open portal the chair had created. As soon as her feet hit the ground she sprinted back in the direction of the arboretum. "If there's not an opening from this side, then I will create my own" she thought with resolve. Ahead she caught sight of hemisphere and the combat that was raging inside. It didn't look like it was going well for her friends. With a hesitant look back in the direction of the hallway and Blossom, she resolutely sprinted forward and prepared to leap up onto the short stone wall around the base of the arboretum. She had made her decision, hopefully it was the right one.
Lions, Tigers and Plants, Oh My.
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